WOLF: Hey every one, I'm finally back, sorry for the long wait. Lots of things have been going on in my little life, and to tell the truth I just didn't feel like working. I was tired from being around my family all the time and to have to make my brain work even more to type was just horrid. But well I finally had some alone time and was able to really work so yay I think this is my longest chapter!
Penny: There shouldn't be much left of this story and WOLF said she was working on the next chapter already.
WOLF: Haha its shocking to say the least, I think this is one of my better stories so to think it's almost done kinda makes me feel a little sad!
Penny: It makes you sad every time you finish a story.
WOLF: ….It does doesn't it… oh well it's not like I can help it and eventually you'll know what I mean when you are near the end of your own fic.
Penny: True but I still have a long ways to go.
WOLF: That you do, but for me it's like all my stories are slowly fading away leaving me with nothing but foggy memories…. Well that was poetic!
Penny: Wow WOLF, just wow.
WOLF: Leave me 'lone~! It's not my fault I'm weird!
Penny: You're normal weird so it's fine.
WOLF: …you just contradicted yourself….
Penny: No I didn't.
WOLF: Sure~ you didn't
Penny: I didn't and post this so you can continue working on the next chapter.
WOLF: 'PTHTHTHT' Nagggggggggg!
Penny: -Pulls out tonfas- WOLF.
WOLF: Hiiiii I'm sorry it's going up its going up! Don't bite me to death Birdie-chan!
Penny: Good -tonfas disappear-
WOLF: 'Sniff' 'Sinff'
Penny: You get no sympathy tuna.
WOLF: evil Birdie is evil (and a slave driver)
Penny: I'll remain one for as long as you live WOLF.
WOLF: I really don't know what to say to that...
Penny: Your reply is posted.
WOLF: I'm just going to up load now… (hangs head in shame)
Sakura trailed after her targets frowning as they turned corner, heading down the corridor to Naruto's classroom.
Harry was hiding his hand in his pocket careful to hide his pain from his friends. But she could see the pain on his face and his tense shoulders.
The two, the red head and the brunet, where bickering again but Harry seemed amused by it despite is own problems.
Watching as the three walked in to class, she hid herself with in the rafters and grinned when Naruto entered the room.
She would be the first to say he did not look healthy what so ever. He was pale and had raccoon eyes that could compete with Gaara's. That thought made her snicker causing Naruto to send her a glare.
He begun class as he did any other, checking to see to make sure his students were doing there reports before moving on to his next lesson.
Her eyes widened as he explained a bit about their customs and other things such as their own magical creatures, a topic she would want to ask more about when they had the time.
And by the end of class he had chosen to use the last few minutes to answer questions and help with any subject confusion.
When class ended she followed the trio out with a small wave to Naruto who nodded goodbye in return.
"Death is Peaceful, Life is Harder"
― Stephenie Meyer, Twilight
Sitting in their common room the golden trio were working together to finish the rest of their report for their wand less magic class. Harry sat on his own seat as he wrote his hand painfully clutching the book while he wrote.
He knew he should have gone to Naruto a weak ago but seeing the blond look so ill and sad almost all the time these days he hadn't wanted to bother him.
Harry was caught off guard when his hand was snatched by Hermione and she harshly pulled off his bandages, they were one of the older ones but he had rinsed them as he hoped it would be enough to do the job, but seeing the look of discus and worry on Hermione's face was enough to say it wasn't.
"Harry what the bloody hell is this!"
Both he and Ron winced at her yell. "It's nothing herm, just a small cut."
It was anything but a small cut and Harry knew better yet his pride wouldn't let him say so.
"That's not a small cut mate. Looks like you've been carving your hand with something, it's still bleeding even."
Harry winced, what was he supposed to say to that?
"You should head to Naruto's office."
The whole group jumped at the female voice and tuned to see Flamingo standing behind Harry with a hand on her hip.
Harry frowned, "I wouldn't want to bother him."
"Oh I'm sure it won't." She snapped while pushing open the port hole, "Now off you go."
Harry glared as he got up and walked through the port hole only slightly noting his friends were behind him.
He walked briskly the whole way pausing to knock on the door and opening it when the approval was given.
Naruto was sitting at his desk looking over a scroll and frowned when he saw the teens, "How can I help you?" he asked softly.
Hermione seeing Harry getting ready to tell a lie grabbed his hand and yanked down his sleeve, "he's been hurting himself!"
Naruto stood up quickly, he flicked his hand and a medical kit came flying out of his back room slapping into his awaiting hand, causing the teens to wince at the harsh noise.
Stepping forward he pulled Harry inside the room and forced the boy into the seat he had just occupied. "What did I tell you about coming to me after your detentions? I may not be allowed to heal it all the way but I can stop both the bleeding and infection."
Turning pointedly to Hermione he grimaced, "Please Ms. Granger, would you run and get Severus for me? Tell him to bring blood replenishing potions with him." The young woman looked surprised but nodded with determination.
Naruto turned back to Harry's hand and began to clean away the infection that had begun to settle within the open wound. Picking at the wound he pulled out a pair of tweezers and pulled off some of the dead skin so it could heal cleanly.
Ron and Harry both stared as the blond continued to work, not even glancing up when Hermione returned with Snape.
The tall professor handed the blond a blood red vial which was then passed on to Harry with a command to drink.
Eventually Naruto deemed the wound clean and safe, before leaning back on his haunches.
"Would you like to tell me why it took so long for you come?" Naruto growled.
Harry winced, "I just didn't want to be a bother."
"You were more of a bother waiting this long for help Mr. Potter, had you waited any longer you could have gotten blood poisoning or a number of other problems that could have been far worse." Snape snapped.
"Harry this can't be ignored like you did, Umbridge will continue to give you detentions and the wound will only get worse, please, you have to come and get help. It may not be much but its better then you becoming ill." Naruto lectured.
On the other side of the room Hermione and Ron watched in shock at how well the two had gotten their point across to Harry, but at that moment Hermione realized something.
"That hag has been making you do that to yourself during those detentions!?" she screeched.
All the boys winced and Harry gave a shaky nod. Hermione twitched before going off on a rant about horrible teachers and idiots who kept things to themselves.
"Hey your both teachers aren't you?" Ron asked looking at the two adults in the room.
"If you're going to ask why we haven't done anything yet it's because the Minister won't listen to us.
The school is going to be talking with Wizerdnot as soon as winter break starts to end the problem, though it's only going to be able to work because of Naruto's status." Snape explained.
"I would have done something sooner, but I can't just up and leave that would cause a problem with credibility so I have to hope everyone can just wait it out, after all we need all the help we can get to persuade the court to our side." Naruto expanded.
Naruto stood with a frown, "Now off with you lot I have things to do and a report to write."
They all hurried off, (Snape hardly rushing) before Naruto plopped down in his chair.
Turning back to look outside he worried his lip, "Where are you Kurama, you said you would be back by now."
"Life's under no obligation to give us what we expect."
― Margaret Mitchell
Sasuke had not expected Naruto to walk up to him and drag him off to the little village called Hogsmeade.
Naruto had stripped him of his uniform and forced him to wear a pair of blue denim jeans, and a black turtle neck shirt.
The blond had gone to larger extents to hide his image, talking his blond hair into a high elegant bun that let the ends flow down his shoulder. He wore only the lightest of makeup, soft blue eyeliner and slightly glossy lip gloss and something he had done had also hidden the whiskers. He had then gone and changed into a well-designed dark blue dress, one that came to his knees showing off his slim hairless long legs, and was of a tall neck. He wore flats of a cream color. On top of all that a fuzzy white jacket that was buttoned until it was before his knees, allowing free movement.
Sasuke almost wanted to say Naruto had become a girl but had a gut feeling that it would only make the short blond kill him.
Naruto only flicked a hand at him and had the raven follow after him, leading them into the village.
"Sakura told me last night that the kids seem to be planning something. I would have had her come with me but today is her day to guard the castle." Naruto explained.
"They were planning to meet with a group of other students at this place called Hog's head. I'm guessing they are planning to back stab Umbridge in some way…"
Sasuke raised an eye brow at Naruto's soft ramble. He noted that his team mate looked tired and distracted. There was the faintest of dark circles under his eyes, and the way he walked seemed stiff.
Sasuke nodded with a sigh. He couldn't say much, Naruto was likely still really mad with him, not that he understood why that was.
As they walked into the shop Naruto was careful to remain unspotted by the group of teens gathering in the back.
Sasuke glanced around and spotted an empty table in the back and motioned for them to go there. Naruto nodded and gracefully slid into the seat closest to the kids before he waved his hand and Sasuke's jaw dropped when he could hear the conversation they were having clearly, almost as if they were whispering in his ear.
The conversation went from hateful to extremely inspiring. Sasuke could feel his eyebrows rising when he realized just how much the Potter child had gone through; after all nearly every one of these wizard children where far too blinded and unaware of the things around them.
He glanced at Naruto to see that the blonde had tears slipping down his cheeks, crystal blue eyes trained onto the table.
He gasped and stretched out to grab Naruto's shoulder, making those sharp eyes snap up to meet his own. He gulped at the intense emotions flying passed the blonde's face.
Naruto said nothing until the other kids left leaving behind only the golden three. Naruto rose from his seat and walked calmly over to his raven cousin and stopped before the sort male.
All three were staring at the blonde in shock and could only gap when Naruto pulled Harry into his arms, and leaned down to whisper in his ear.
"I'm sorry I could do nothing to help you, I never knew."
Everyone stared at the odd pair before Naruto stood up strait and turned to the others, "You brats better know what you're doing, because I can promise Molly-chan won't be the only one ready to chop your heads of if you get caught!"
Hermione's eyes widened in realization and covered her mouth.
Naruto turned around and looked at Sasuke, "Come on we better get going back to Hogwarts before that old coot chokes on his lemon drops." Naruto grumbled and walked out, leaving three gaping students behind.
"You don't think he meant Dumbledore do you…?" Ron asked softly.
The sound of slapping skin was all Sasuke heard as he stepped out of the bar.
"Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever."
― Lance Armstrong, Every Second Counts
Naruto hurried up to Dumbledore's office, he needed to let the old man know that the kids were safe, that there was nothing to be worried of.
In all sense even though they were doing something that would get them in slight trouble Naruto inwardly promised himself that he would help them in any way he could.
The kids needed to have something push them on to get better and this was it. His class may have made up for some of the old pug's destruction but he could only teach them so much, together they could grow, become strong and fight their war with all their might.
Sasuke followed closely behind him, having not been dismissed yet, and twitched slightly when the gargoyle in front of Dumbledore's office moved, having missed Naruto whisper 'Sugar Snappers'.
The two moved up the stairs and quickly filed into the room where the old man was tinkering away with some odd glass object.
Naruto stepped up, and quickly reported most (skipping the fact that they had all agreed to start up the group in the long run) of what he heard, sending Sasuke a sharp look so he would keep his mouth shut.
Dumbledore looked contemplative but nodded, "they may do as they need, keep an eye on them so they don't get caught though, if you don't mind that is."
Naruto nodded softly and was turning to leave when the window behind Dumbledore snapped open.
Naruto stopped in mid step, frozen with what he saw.
His beloved, covered in blood (clearly both of his own and of others), pail, and frail.
Naruto snapped forward just in time to steady Kurama when he started to tip over. The red head grinned widely at Naruto sharp (bloody) teeth glittering slightly in a vicious smile.
Trembling slightly Naruto cupped Kurama's cheek with his loose hand and whipped some of the blood that had been trickling down from his temple.
"Koi…" the blonde's voice was so quiet that only Kurama himself could catch it. Giving his lover a small smile he turned to Dumbledore and shook his head.
"Sorry old man, it wasn't there, seems the serpent was better at hiding things than we thought." The end of his sentence came out as a slight grunt, as pain began to settle in.
"Switch over," Naruto whispered, having trouble holding his lover up.
Kurama shot his a slight glare, one not meant out of anger but to show his dislike. Yet without any other pushing his body began to shift in shape snapping into that of a small golden red fox.
Naruto maneuvered him so he was resting in his arms safely. Only then if someone really look could they see that Naruto's stomach began to bulge, (this was due to the pressure on the upper part of his shirt.
Sasuke's eyes widened with surprise but he kept his guesses to himself, he didn't want to make Naruto snap at him not when the blond was fretting over his, as he had guesses earlier on, husband.
Naruto at that moment rushed out of the office, taking his bloody lover with him.
"Scars show us where we have been, they do not dictate where we are going."
― David Rossi
It perhaps was luck when Naruto passed the group of students fighting in the hall, after all it could have escalated far too fast.
He had moved himself between the fighting boys and blocked the young Neville Longbottom from attacking Malfoy. He glared at all of the boys, an aura of anger sliding off him in waves,
"What do you fools think you're doing?" his voice was like slick ice, cold and unforgiving.
None of the boys could come up with a worthy excuse. This of course only caused Naruto to growl; the fox (which the boys had only just knotted) joined him.
"You six will be serving detention with me, you all better make sure you are free tomorrow afternoon, I will be talking to your heads of house."
Jaws dropped in realization, hardly understanding what had just happened, but their blond professor (who had always been nice and calm about everything they did) had moved around them and began to continue on through the hall, "Get to class before you receive anymore detentions."
The boys skittered along narrowly missing Snape.
"That wasn't very nice."
Naruto looked over to Kurama who lay stretched out over his shoulders.
"If I don't do something about their petty rivalry now, it will likely get them into real trouble later. I don't want to yell at them, nor punish them, but I also don't want them to be hurt by their own actions."
Kurama frowned at his beloved kit, and sighed. Naruto was likely thinking of his own rivalry from back when he was a kid. He and Sasuke had always had problems but, it had been the raven's revenge full nature that had backfired on the two and nearly killed them both.'
Kurama could only hope the boys would be safer.
"...real childhood scars heal, but not when band-aids replace self-reflection."
― Cameron Conaway, Caged: Memoirs of a Cage-Fighting Poet
Sakura and Sasuke frowned when they over heard the conversation the kids had with Sirius.
Without bothering to talk to the kids, they had escaped the possibility of capture and so had Sirius, so they quickly ran the way to Naruto's office, slipping past people who were watching over the school, looking for kids out after dark.
Naruto sat quietly in his office, his two separate chairs transfigured into one long couch where he was sitting with Kurama laid out, head on the blonde's lap.
The red head looked far better than the last time Sasuke had seen him.
His split lit was little more than a scab now, and the cut that had run along his temple was but a little scar. The other cuts and other things marring his skin where gone, though his left arm was still in a sling.
Naruto was sitting with a book in hand again and seemed to be reading the story to Kurama as the male continued to nap.
It was a pleasing seen, they clearly loved one another in the way they shared looks.
Sakura coughed into her hand and drew their attention to the doorway.
Naruto scowled but seemed to think better of it and motioned them in. shifting Kurama on his lap to help him see the other two.
With a small wave of his hand Naruto summoned two other chairs for his team mates.
Sakura sat down hesitantly and twisted her fingers together, "A few days ago young Mr. Potter received an owl from an unknown sender. His owl was extremely hurt." She started off knowing already that Naruto would be very upset that he had not been told about the owl before now.
"Earlier we followed the children into their common room; the owl had been a message from Mr. Black. He warned the kids about a man named Mundungus being in the village when the kids went out there for their Hogsmeade visit, Mr. Black discovered that Mundungus had given the information about the kids little group being made to Madam Umbridge."
Naruto's face turned pail, he looked truly bothered by this information.
"Mr. Black was also nearly caught corresponding with the kids when Umbridge used some sort of spell it seems to retch through the fire place and nearly grabbed him." Sakura seemed a bit confused, she was not really very good at this sort of thing, and after all she knew next to nothing about magic.
"I'll have to talk to them, they'll have to keep things to a down low… if she catches them I'm sure they be tortured."
Kurama shuffled slightly and raised his unhurt hand to stroke Naruto's cheek. "It'll be fine, the kids will have all four of us watching after them, if they still get caught with that, than clearly there would be something seriously wrong with that." Naruto smiled at him and nodded, leaning forward to plant a small kiss on his forehead.
Shuffling around some Naruto shifted off the couch and replaced his lap with a pillow. "I'll be back when I can seeing as I have detention to take care of, rest well."
Stretching as he walked out of the room and into his classroom he then closed the door behind him so the kids could not see the group behind; if Sakura and Sasuke really needed to leave they could do so easily without letting the others know they had been in there.
...
Naruto frowned the kids had all shown up on time, but all their attitudes were clashing with one another.
Harry was standing guiltily off to the far right of Ron, fiddling with the bottom of his shirt.
Ron himself was glaring at the young Malfoy, who of course glared right back with his goons on either side of him.
Neville was simply looking at the floor, neither in anger or sorrow, but definitely not happy.
"Stop that childish behavior this instant!" he snapped out at the two hot heads, causing every single one of them to jump. He took a step forward and stood before them all, (and while he was still short for his age) stood well above them, though rod was close. His hands moved to his hips and the aura around him practically said 'Pissed-Off-Mom.'
"I don't know why you all thought it would be a good idea to fight in the hall, what in the world made you do that… no don't tell me I don't want to know," he snapped when Ron opened his mouth, "If any one of you had shot off a sell it could have hit someone! And let me tell you this, the detention you are getting now is soft to what I would have done if it had in fact happened!"
He looked them over to be sure that they had gotten the idea, and when he saw the worried look and all their faces, though Draco hid it best, Naruto was not a ninja for nothing.
Huffing he made his way to the door and opened it, "come along, your detention will be serviced outside with me."
They all looked shocked at that but still followed behind the blond, who eventually led them to an open and flat area behind the school building.
"Get jogging, I'll tell you when you can stop." That caused looks of disbelief among all of them.
"What you think I'm joking, jog, believe me I could have made it worse but the punishment must match the crime, so get moving or I'll send you over to Severus and he will have you scrubbing cauldrons until morning."
The kids all winced at that and it was no surprise to Naruto when Harry started jogging first, Ron joining not to long after, Neville hot on his heels.
Naruto turned to the other boys and glared, which kicked in their survival instincts and they quickly followed suit.
Naruto stood in the middle of the field watching them jog. Secretly he felt proud as he watched Harry, who was faring far better than all the other boys. Clearly a few years with muggles had helped him have higher tolerance.
When he saw them continue on the fifth run he finally called out to them to stop and motioned them over to stand in front of him.
"Now I know that all of you are probably pissed that I made you do exercise, but understand me when I tell you this: you may be from different houses, you may hate each other to the core, and you may feel the need to fight things out sometimes, but that is no excuse to endanger anyone else. You were all lucky that no one was hurt. If someone had been hit with a stray spell, or even a combination of spells, it could have killed or cause serious harm to them. I don't want to be this harsh on you all but if there is one thing I take serious it is the safety of others. I hope this has at least taught you all to take your problems out in a safer or at least emptier place."
The six of them looked guilty but Naruto knew they needed to be represented, none of them had been by any of the other teachers, not properly so to make up for it he had to.
Sighing he extended a hand to the school, "Head back to your dorms and clean up, stretch out your muscles before you shower, if you don't you will be more than a little bit sore in the morning."
The kids shuffled around a little bit before they all started to move but Harry stood there and told his friends to go ahead of him.
Naruto raised an eye brow at him and slowly leveled himself out to be eye to eye with Harry.
"I'm sorry…"
Naruto had to stop from gapping but a soft smile slipped onto his face. "Hun, it wasn't only your fault, I can tell you that I used to be far worse than you; my who entire village would become covered in paint and who knows what else whenever I tried to get revenge on them for the way they used to treat me. But you see I had to learn the hard way that people can easily become involved and get hurt, I almost made a man go blind once, and another time I made a woman lose all her hair. It was horrible to see how they had to get on with life after those moments."
Harry looked at him shocked, green eyes wide.
Naruto smiled, "I would hate to see something happen to someone and you end up blaming yourself for it."
Naruto shifted and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and led the boy into the castle, but stopped after a moment and looked around.
"Harry, don't fire call Sirius anymore, it's only going to get more dangerous from here, and try to lay low with that club of yours. I have nothing against you planning one but don't let Umbridge find out, perhaps ask a house elf to find somewhere in the castle that's hidden?"
Harry looked shocked that Naruto knew about the fire call but his face turned stern and he nodded. He wouldn't be letting the horrid woman find out and punish them for it, he wouldn't allow it!
Naruto had to hold back a grin knowing what his little cousin was thinking, he was just so cute!
WOLF: Let me know what you thought, did Naruto seem odd at the end?